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T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
May 1932
o f the Jewish nation? When will the once despised Elder Brother be recognized as King?
them. He did other things, too, which showed them that he did not trust them. This made them remember the wicked thing which they had done to their brother Joseph. And they were truly sorry. A t last, when they had brought Benja min back with them, Joseph told them who he was— and instead o f being angry with them, he said that surely it was God’s plan for him to go to Egypt that he might help the people there, and that he might bring his father and brothers to Egypt, to this land of plenty where they could live and prosper. Golden Text Illustration In one o f his addresses, W . C. Pearce tells of being on the street in Chicago one day when a trolley car was held up for some time by a heavy wagon getting stuck on the track. Two span o f horses vainly tugged to pull it off, but their efforts amounted_ to nothing, as they pulled al ternately instead of simultaneously. After a little, a teamster came along driving a compact team o f bays. “Take off those horses,” said he, “and let me have a chance at that load.” The men laughed at him and said, “What can your team do when four horses have failed?” “Well,” said he, “I’d like to have a try at it.” A fter hitching his team up to the load, he gently tightened the reins, and then quietly uttered the two w ords: “ Steady— together.” The horses responded by settling into their collars for a long, strong pull, with the result that the load moved,.and the crowd cheered. — O nward . that this was a picture of the journey of Jacob into Egypt, about which we are studying this Sunday. However, it is quite likely that- this picture records a visit of foreigners during the Sesostris dynasty. I f so, it was much earlier than the time of Jacob’s migration. On the other hand, it was about the time o f the visit o f Abra ham to Egypt, and since he evidently had a considerable company with him, this might well be a picture o f Father Abra ham and his family. W e know from ex perience that the .records in the Bible are entirely trustworthy, and when profane records are found, they will substantiate the W ord o f God. Outline and Exposition I. T he R emoval to E gypt (46:1-7). Judah’s plea on behalf o f his father, o f which we read in the last lesson, proved successful, and the brethren were sent home with an invitation for Jacob and his family to come and make their abode in Egypt. _ Then Jacob, or Israel as he is called in the opening verse o f this lesson, gathered his family and all that he had and began the journey which took these chosen people o f God out o f their promised land and kept them out for centuries. God had already told Abraham of this (Gen. 15: 13, 14) and perhaps Jacob had it in mind as he left his home and took the long journey to Egypt. On the way, he came to Beersheba, a
spot made sacred because there both Ab raham and Isaac had erected altars to their God (Gen. 21:33; 26:25). Here Jacob also offered sacrifices to the God o f his- fathers. Leaving his home country with all its cher ished traditions, wherein also was the grave of his wife whom he so deeply loved, and facing unknown conditions and strange circumstances, not knowing whether he would ever return home, must have made this a solemn time for Jacob. Only the fact that he was to see his long- lost son could have moved this aged man to submit to such a change. The joy of seeing the son whom he had mourned as dead probably urged him to make all possible speed; but before he hurried on to that joy, he must first seek the face of God. Jacob was without doubt a schemer, and there were many things about him from which we would turn in disgust. But with all that, he was a man who instinc tively turned to God in every crisis o f his life. He must have been a man o f habitual prayer, or he would not have been found stopping in a journey such as this in order to spend time in sacrifices and prayer. To have the habit of prayer is to be possessed o f full protection and peace o f mind and heart’s ease in every circumstance. W e need to learn that, not only in the great experiences o f life, but in the daily round o f common days, seeking the face o f God is the great imperative if we are to live contented and efficient lives. Jacob drew near to the God of his fa ther, Isaac, iHe may have felt that within himself he had no ground upon which to stand before the holy God, but he was con fident that God had chosen his father Is aac, and, through Isaac, had chosen Jacob himself. The answer o f God to Jacob’s sacrifice was a vision granted to Jacob in that same night. God called him by his old name; it was twice repeated, “Jacob, Jacob,” pos sibly to remind him o f that former time when God met him at Bethel (cf. Gen. 28:1-15). The old name would reveal to him that he stood in as much need o f the favor and protection o f God now as then. Jacob immediately answered, “Here am I,” ready for any revelation that God might be pleased to give. The message began with the announce ment, “ I am God [the Mighty One], the God o f thy father.” This name would give Jacob confidence in the ability o f God to perform anything He might promise to do. The history o f Jacob’s father, and of his grandfather, as well as his own per sonal history, contained too much o f the miraculous to allow any suggestion of doubt that what God said would be impos sible o f fulfillment. And this God, the Mighty One, has never changed; He is “the same yesterday, today, and for ever.” The message to Jacob was one o f com fort and encouragement: “Fear not to go down into Egypt.” There may have been an unspoken dread in Jacob’s heart as he started for this strange country. Perhaps there was a feeling o f homesickness as he turned his face from the familiar scenes in which his days had been spent. In answer to whatever thoughts, and feelings were his, the gracious words o f God would fall upon his ears and bring assurance that whatever lay ahead he need have no fear. Thus God, the God o f all grace, speaks to His own everywhere and in every circum stance. The message contained a fourfold prom ise calculated to _ sustain and assure the aged man. “ I will there make o f thee a great nation.” In the infinite wisdom of
Keeping a Promise G enesis 44:18-21, -30-34
Memory Verse: “ Then said Jehovah unto me, . . . I watch over my word to perform it” (Jer. 1:12). Approach : Now the famine was not only in the land o f Egypt, it was down in Canaan where Joseph’s father and brothers lived, as well. Soon they had no food, and
Joseph’s brothers said to their father, “ Let us go down into Egypt to buy corn, for we hear that they have plenty stored there.” So they went, all but Benjamin, the young est, for Jacob was afraid to send him. L e s s o n S t o r y: When they reached Egypt, they presented
themselves to Joseph to buy corn. Joseph recognized them as his brothers, and he longed for news o f his father and little brother. But he didn’t tell them yet that he was Joseph, the boy whom they had sold into Egypt. He asked them about their family. They told him o f the old father and o f the youngest brother and o f the other brother, Joseph, who “was not.” But Joseph remembered how they had treated him years ago. He wanted to be sure that Benjamin was safe and well, and he want ed to know, too, if they were sorry for what they had done years ago. So he told them that if they came back to buy more corn, they must bring Benjamin with
JUNE 19, 1932 JACOB THE AGED FATHER G enesis 46:1-7, 28-30 ; 47:7
Jacob’s Journey > he lands of the Near East are partic ularly subject to famine. Throughout Palestine and Syria, there are few high mountains to store the winter moisture so that it can be used in the summer. The rains come only in the winter, and when they fail, drought is certain. There is
great suffering when there is a shortage of moisture for only one winter. One cannot imagine the suffering when there is drought for seven years, as was the case in the time o f Joseph. An cient records are pre served, which tell of
famines at various times, and of migra tions o f whole tribes o f people because of these famines. Because o f its mighty river, Egypt was more favored than surrounding regions, and it was the Mecca for many starving pilgrims during times of world famine. A picture on the tomb o f Khnem-hotep at Beni-Hasan records one o f these pilgrim ages. Thirty-seven Asiatics are being pre sented to the Egyptian master by two Egyptians. They are clearly Semitic, for their beards and facial characteristics in dicate it. They may well have been Israel ites, and if so, we have an idea o f what the children o f Israel looked like, and of how they dres$ed. W e would like to think
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